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Child custody battles are among the most emotionally fraught parts of any parent’s life, much less “just” the divorce process. But like every court case, there’s more people involved than just you, and in many cases, the other spouse is just as emotionally invested if not moreso than you are — and the child may be anywhere on the spectrum ...

Can a rapist get himself named as the legal father of your child? Not anymore. Up until about a year ago, however, they totally could. The law didn’t explicitly allow someone who had committed rape (or any other sexual assault that resulted in conception) to pursue the status of legal father — but didn’t stop them until after they had ...

These days, it’s not entirely unusual for couples to have children out of wedlock. In some cases, this occurs due to unexpected pregnancy, while in others, the parents make a choice to live together and raise a family without getting married. The problem is that this type of arrangement can muddy the waters of child custody, so that if parents ...

When children are minors, which is to say, under the age of 18, parents are responsible for their care, and this means providing for material needs such as food, clothing, medical care, and so on. Just because parents get a divorce doesn’t mean they aren’t both still legally obligated to financially provide for these basic needs. Following divorce proceedings, many ...

Many factors come into play when a court is determining child custody in Michigan, and this is only right since it’s a weighty decision with life-altering consequences for the child. If you are a parent attempting to gain sole or joint custody of a child or children, here’s what you should expect a court to consider before making a determination. ...

When you go through a divorce, a child custody case, or a property settlement situation, you can come out of the experience feeling a little beat up. You might just be glad the whole thing is over, even if the results are not what you hoped for. However, you should know that lower court decisions in Michigan may be subject ...

Marriage is a promise of exclusivity, wherein two people vow to honor and cherish each other for the rest of their lives. Most marriage ceremonies imply or explicitly state that this pact is made at the exclusion of all others. In other words, spouses promise to be faithful to one another. This is why infidelity is so harmful to a ...

It’s important to plan for the future, whether you want to save for your eventual retirement, you’re protecting personal assets against business debts, or you want to make sure your loved ones are cared for in the event of your untimely demise. Estate planning with wills, trusts, investments, and so on is just one way to reach your future goals. ...

Once a marriage is dissolved through divorce proceedings and property has been divided, you might think the process is done and you can wash your hands of your ex-spouse. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. If you have children, for example, custody and child support will still have to be determined. Whether you have kids or not, alimony, or ...

Divorce is a difficult and emotionally draining undertaking in and of itself, but when children are involved, it becomes even more complex. When parents have to decide where kids will end up, or worse, courts have to make a determination, the stakes are very high. If you’re a parent interested in retaining partial or full custody of children following a ...

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Testimonial

I am forever thankful to you! The court has definitely taught me to be stronger. I remember you as a strong attorney who faced the judge who almost took the kids away. I can't imagine if that happened in that courtroom. You are my heroine!

D. Booker

Hey Renee
Just wanted to say Happy Birthday. But also -- as my daughter Liz turns 18 tomorrow -- I wanted to say thank you for all of your hard work on the case involving Liz. You fought for Sue and I every step of the way and we never, ever lost a battle with you at our side. While going through essentially two custody battles to get Liz living with us, you made it look easy and you won every round for us with ease.
Sue and I have recommended you to so many people that we've lost count. I think Sue will agree with me that you are honestly the best family attorney that anyone could ever hire. We'll both continue recommending you to anyone in need if an all-star.
You've been there to read my 5,000-word, long-winded emails, you've been there at every court date, you always were quick to answer every call and showed compassion to Sue and I all the time. Thank you for believing in us and giving us the confidence over the years in my daughter's case, especially when Liz's mother was making life very difficult for us.
Liz started at Macomb Community College today and she's doing well. She's working and growing up into a beautiful, mature young lady. I can't thank you enough for being responsible for getting Liz to live with us full time. Sue and I truly believe that Liz living with us saved her from living an enormously difficult life with her mother (Liz now has not seen her mom in over 3 years).
We've had a long relationship for 10 years as our friend! Stay in touch on Facebook and I wish you the greatest success in your practice and with your family.
Take care and all the best to you!

Tom and Sue Varcie

We are so very grateful that we found you and you agreed to fight for us on this year long battle. It certainly has been a stressful and frightening time as the alternatives to not winning would have been truly devastating. We couldn't have done it without your unyielding commitment, dedication, exceptional ability and hard work. We are aware and greatly appreciate how much time, lost sleep and interrupted weekends you spent in order to prepare and win for us. We are so thankful. We worried and rejoiced together and you were always supporting us.
Thank you so much and your team for all you have done for us. Hopefully we can keep in touch. And of course professionally, we will need you to help us with future issues as they arise. Again we are so grateful for having you as our champion.
You are the best!

Roger and Peggy P.

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Family Guides

Below are some guides that can help with what can sometimes be challenging situations.

Oakland County Family Law

The Gucciardo Law Firm, started by attorney Renée Gucciardo, has focused solely on family law since 2001. With our location in Bingham Farms, we are well suited to service clients in Oakland County and all of Metro-Detroit. We understand family issues such as divorce, child custody, child support, and spousal support can be challenging but we are here to help you. Contact us today for a free 30-minute consultation.